The T&L reviewer puts more emphasis on sauces, ambience and sides than do I—a really good steak leaves no room for side orders and sauces are for French people—but I’d agree with her on those I visited. They all make a good steak. The secrets to a great steak, I decided after all those visits, are aging (there is nothing better than dry-aged, prime beef) and really hot cooking temperatures. However, I have to say that in all my days of eating steak, I never found a place to equal Peter Lugar’s, and steak there also involves a quite princely sum of butter.

Self-grading Obama’s efforts on trade
We’re not sure the Obama Administration has been all that attentive to or effective on the trade front, but his outgoing trade czar thinks they’re tried hard.

Good quote: "Critics accuse the Obama administration of allowing talks to stall, but Kirk rejected that saying, ‘We have worked ridiculously hard to advance this. These are very complex, detailed negotiations that cover all aspects of business to agriculture and trade, manufactured goods.’"